Why do these people have 3D glasses upside down?

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2456/bcs3d001pf2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Because many theaters had their projectors setup incorrectly and the left and right offset were reversed.

As it turned out, 3 out of the 4 theaters showing the game where I was had the feed reversed. Some people had left in the first several minutes after having shaky effects and 3D seemed to be a gimmick who's time had not come.

After 15 minutes of "gimicks" and trouble real trouble reading the graphics, I started playing with the glasses - only to find out that 3D REALLY WORKED IF YOU TURNED THE GLASSES UPSIDE DOWN.

So we spread the word to turn the glasses upside down.

I can only say one thing....

WOW

This is no gimick - its the real thing (however, clearly if 75% of the theaters can have it backwards, there are bound to be MANY people who were underwhelmed this evening).

The depth of the field was amazing.

They used very few cameras and thus did not always have the best shots, however when someone walked in front of one shooting the field it certainly made everyone jump.

While there were no Disney type effects of things coming out at you, it was more like looking out an opening at the field.

Fox used very minimal graphics - and the graphics (once the glasses were upside down) seemed to float at the front of the picture.

This was every bit as good as the 3D you see at Disney.

Were their glitches? Obviously. We emailed the CEO of the Company from the theater and she assured us that the broadcast was being delivered correctly, the problem was local (which became evident as 3 theaters were wrong and 1 was correct).

But this is clearly ready for Primetime if you can make sure the left side is always offset to the left and not to the right.

I am curious if any others attended showings and if the did not have the WOW factor, did they try and turn the glasses upside down as well.

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/4924/bcs3d002oc4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/1710/bcs3d003oe3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The theater I was at (Wynnsong 16 in Des Moines, IA) figured out the polarity was reversed and fixed it within the first fifteen minutes... so we could wear our glasses right side up. At first, we did watch with the glasses upside down.

The theater I was at (Wynnsong 16 in Des Moines, IA) figured out the polarity was reversed and fixed it within the first fifteen minutes... so we could wear our glasses right side up. At first, we did watch with the glasses upside down.

I wonder how many theaters NEVER figured it out?

I wonder how many theaters NEVER figured it out?

That's a scary thought. Props to the staff at the Wynnsong 16 in Johnston, IA (Des Moines) for getting it right. They saw that many people were wearing the glasses upside down and knew something was wrong.

I am hoping others will chime in on this. Very interesting experience, to say the least.

We had the same issue with swapped polarization at the Rave theater north of Cincinnati. We also flipped our glasses upside down before the projectionist fixed the polarization around the end of the first quarter.

Once corrected... words simply cannot describe the experience! I would say it's equivalent to the jump from SD to HD. Now - how do we get this in the home? A 3D Blu-ray standard will be a nice first step, but live sports is where it's at for me...

The theater I was at also had the polarity reversed but it was corrected after I think the first quarter. We too had our glasses upside down and I said something to the usher.

Other than that, this technology is ready for primetime. That was outstanding, baring the FOX college football production. :) It reminded me of the awe of the first time I saw HD.

So from the other thread, I take it no one had heard anything doing an NHL game like this? I really want to see the NHL do this in 3D.

I can only say one thing....

WOW

This is no gimick - its the real thing (however, clearly if 75% of the theaters can have it backwards, there are bound to be MANY people who were underwhelmed this evening).

The depth of the field was amazing.

They used very few cameras and thus did not always have the best shots, however when someone walked in front of one shooting the field it certainly made everyone jump.

While there were no Disney type effects of things coming out at you, it was more like looking out an opening at the field.

Fox used very minimal graphics - and the graphics (once the glasses were upside down) seemed to float at the front of the picture.

This was every bit as good as the 3D you see at Disney.Properly done stereo HD can give you the 'WOW' factor. Glad to hear this went well, aside from the initial glitch.

No such issue at the Rave theater in Hurst, Tx. The image was amazing. Very distinct perception of depth from the field-level cameras. Individual players, the sideline and even the crowd existed on different planes of view. The default high, wide angle sideline camera shot used in a typical broadcast for each play was rarely shown in this game as it didn't provide the 3D pop of the field level angles. There were almost no commercial interruptions, and a separate broadcast team calling the game specifically for the 3D presentation made for a very unique football viewing experience.

Main drawbacks were the lack of a scoreboard ticker - thus the lack of a game clock - and fewer replays than a normal broadcast. But the incredible 3D images more than made up for these shortcomings.

First thing I said when walking out was this is going to make people a LOT of money. I could easily see sports fans going to all 7 games of an NBA Finals/World Series/Stanley Cup if it were in 3D.

Me personally, I'd love see soccer and NASCAR in 3D and wouldn't hesitate to pay a premium for them. In fact, I'm not even much of an NBA All Star Sat Night person but I will probably take my brother, who is and couldn't make it to the BCS game tonight.

No such issue at the Rave theater in Hurst, Tx. The image was amazing. Very distinct perception of depth from the field-level cameras. Individual players, the sideline and even the crowd existed on different planes of view. The default high, wide angle sideline camera shot used in a typical broadcast for each play was rarely shown in this game as it didn't provide the 3D pop of the field level angles. There were almost no commercial interruptions, and a separate broadcast team calling the game specifically for the 3D presentation made for a very unique football viewing experience.

Main drawbacks were the lack of a scoreboard ticker - thus the lack of a game clock - and fewer replays than a normal broadcast. But the incredible 3D images more than made up for these shortcomings.

I guesstimated it was 4 or 5 cameras max (though I was only expecting 3). However, I was somewhat surprised at the replays on the first disputed call when they showed it from 3 or 4 different angles (again I assumed they would not have had as many replay machines in place given the few number of camera positions).

The field cameras clearly were the best 3D shots as you noted.

Interesting you put the lack of a scoreboard or ticker as a negative as most people on AVS complain the graphics take up too much screen real estate.

During one of the breaks, they showed a surfing thing (which I originally thought was an Oakley ad) which showed amazing depth in the sweet spot of the waves.

I am really curious how the production team worked on this. I guess that they really did not wear glasses but only saw one side of a picture (2D) when operating the camera and in the booth.

There is nothing wrong with a constant on screen graphic. The problem most have is the real estate taken up. Minimalism is desired.

Champaign, IL had it all wrong on the only theater. Luckily there was a 3d photographer in the room who told everyone the upside down trick. I even informed the manager at halftime and he was clueless... After the game I talked to him and apparently his fatass was too lazy to call Cinedigm's hotline to figure out the problem. His response was he checked the glasses where Bolt was playing and they were fine so it was the feed that was screwed up. He even claimed that they didn't change their projectors at all...they just pressed buttons.

I put in a request for their banner (it was a historic night afterall) so their manager is supposed to call tomorrow. Good to have this knowledge so I can inform him of the incompetence of his staff.

Also wanting to add my thoughts to the discussion regarding the broadcast itself...(crossposted from another forum)

I see a lot of potential but they have a ways to go. For those of us who remember what the football looked like before FOX threw 20 overlays on up the screen, this was a nice blast from the past. In short, no running clock (although they did their best to show the play clocks in their shots of the action), no yellow 1st down line, and no frills. They would flash an occasional overlay of stats and coming in and out of TV TOs they would show the score and time left on the clock. As for my fears....They had the FOX "B" crew down the game (Kenny Albert and Tim Ryan) and 7.1 sound (anyone else who saw this want to hunt down and shoot the lady that kept screaming her name in the right rear speaker the whole 2nd half?). Now for the bad. Not sure if this was national but the glasses didn't work unless you had them on upside down. They also had A LOT of trouble in the 1st part of the 3rd Quarter with what reminded me of rain fade on the sat. We didn't have bad weather here tonight so I'm interested to know if it was national. Finally, whenever they'd move the cameras too fast the image would jump and almost force your eyes to cross. At times they seemed scared to move the cameras at all so a lot of punt returns were missed...and it was obviously being filmed by tech geeks who had no experience with filming football as A LOT of play action passes and draws ended up out of frame. In their defense, they were obviously using the game as an experiment since it seemed like the shots got better as the game finished up.

Now the good... I didn't think much of it at first but it really made it's mark when I got home and turned on Sportscenter....the image at home seemed small and flat. Going from 3D to home theater in an hour really eliminates any thought of "pop" to the home picture. The content of the feed when it was "on" was awesome. I think they ran one Playstation ad a half and in the quarters that ad didn't run, they had some amazing 3D surfing/beach filler. The highlight from a PQ standpoint was in the postgame. The confetti looked like you could reach out and grab it as did the crystal NC ball. If they use footage from it as a trailer for what they can do, the Nelson TD catch on the Tebow jump pass is a surefire eye-popper. You saw him make the catch and then run right at you/the camera in crystal clear clarity. (The 3D cameras were opposite the HD cameras.) One other highlight shot would be when the Sooner Schooner (or whatever the wagon is called) came out during introductions.

In short, I think they will need to work on lowering the premium of the ticket down to $5 over a standard movie ticket in order to reach the masses. Their next sporting event is NBA Sat night. If I was a fan, I'd consider going at a lower price. OTOH, I would probably pay $25 to see the MLB All-Star game (maybe $20 for the HR derby)...which since it's FOX could happen. The one question I have is whether this will be released on Blu-Ray (even if it is just with the cheapo Blue/Red 3D glasses.) If it is, I'd highly recommend those of you who are sports fans or even those of you who are curious about 3D to go out and buy it.

And yeah...of all the main sports I think baseball is probably the best suited for 3D while they get the kinks worked out with filming a high speed game like football or hockey. It would also be easier to set up cameras for...one behind the catcher, one from centerfield zoomed in behind the pitcher, and one on the roof that follows the path of a batted ball. It'll be interesting to see what the NBA event looks like.

Champaign, IL had it all wrong on the only theater. Luckily there was a 3d photographer in the room who told everyone the upside down trick. I even informed the manager at halftime and he was clueless... After the game I talked to him and apparently his fatass was too lazy to call Cinedigm's hotline to figure out the problem. His response was he checked the glasses where Bolt was playing and they were fine so it was the feed that was screwed up. He even claimed that they didn't change their projectors at all...they just pressed buttons.

I put in a request for their banner (it was a historic night afterall) so their manager is supposed to call tomorrow. Good to have this knowledge so I can inform him of the incompetence of his staff.

There were 4 theaters in the complex I was in. 3 were wrong. 1 was right.

Despite that, it was NEVER corrected. I even told some employees that they should announce it in the theater (to turn the glasses upside down). They responded that even if they did, many people still didn't understand it. :rolleyes:

Despite having a laptop with 3G cards and emails to the CEO, she informed us that the feed was correct (somewhat questionable now considering it appears more theaters were wrong than right) and that the issue was localized (apparently in MANY local theaters).

Quite frankly, I figured the feed was wrong and no one knew what it was supposed to look like so that's why it wasn't corrected nationally. Then when I found at that 1 of the 4 theaters had it correct, I realized that you really could change it locally.

On a side note, this reminds me of my experience with the first digital movie soundtrack, Terminator T2 - Judgement Day using CDS (Anyone even remember that).

There was 1 theater in NYC showing this in 70mm with CDS - ONLY ONE. I believe there was only 1 or 2 in LA as well (there were a few more using 35mm and CDS).

The NYC theater was a UA Theater on the East Side somewhere around 68th or so.

I went to it one Sunday in 1991 and at the start where the crushing of skulls and bones occurs, I realized the sound was moving right to left while the screen was moving left to right.

I went out to the lobby and informed them of the reversal of left and right channels and as god is my witness, they went to the ticket booth cash register and pushed some buttons to try and correct it there (the audio ran through the cash register). Needless to say, it did not work. After 10 minutes I could not take it any longer, got a refund a left. I was told the problem would be corrected during regular servicing on Tuesday.

So next Sunday I return. Think it was fixed?

This was NY. Again, probably 1 of less than 5 70mm theaters in the USA showing the title with CDS. And you think anyone else had even mentioned it? Is there any wonder CDS went by the wayside?

As I stated, for the first 15 minutes, I had a headache looking at graphics as they would shimmer and not focus correctly (which is why i took off the glasses and started playing around with them). I thought it was a nice gimick - but even told several people this was not ready for primetime.

Imagine the people who never turned the glasses upside down - or those that left in the first 15 minutes because of the issues? What will they tell their friends?

a very good explanation of the issue here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=15504901#post15504901

I'd love to know if they had it wrong at CES - even for a short period of time. That would have to be very embarrassing.

I'd love to know if they had it wrong at CES - even for a short period of time. That would have to be very embarrassing.

Sounds like they had there own problems: http://2-wheeler.blogspot.com/2009/01/first-3d-bcs-game.html

I just wrote a not so nice little email to Carmike's HQ about the issue and management's refusal to call the Cinedigm tech support number they had for help. As I've said...thank god for the 3d photographer that told us the "trick" before the game actually started.

Sounds like they had there own problems: http://2-wheeler.blogspot.com/2009/01/first-3d-bcs-game.html

I just wrote a not so nice little email to Carmike's HQ about the issue and management's refusal to call the Cinedigm tech support number they had for help. As I've said...thank god for the 3d photographer that told us the "trick" before the game actually started.

Sound was not good at all in our theater (Despite having stadium seating and speakers galore). You could hear the play by play ok, but I do not think I heard anything from any surrounds or rears, nor do I think there was much of a stereo field in the front. We did not have all the issues noted in the blog you listed. I also noted a lip sync issue with the play by play team prior to the game. Interesting that everyone watching Fox says the only thing right was the 7.1 audio, lol.

For that much of a bail out at CES, I wonder if their picture was in sync? Out of sync you got a somewhat of an effect, but it was more gimick in nature and the graphics REALLY hurt trying to read them.

I agree with his statements about quick changes in camera angles, but found it more confusing before we realized the picture was out of sync.

Sounds like they had there own problems: http://2-wheeler.blogspot.com/2009/01/first-3d-bcs-game.html

I just wrote a not so nice little email to Carmike's HQ about the issue and management's refusal to call the Cinedigm tech support number they had for help. As I've said...thank god for the 3d photographer that told us the "trick" before the game actually started.

Link points to no blog entry.

Sounds like they had there own problems: http://2-wheeler.blogspot.com/2009/01/first-3d-bcs-game.html
Broken link.

^^^^ looking at the date on his home page, it appears he lost all posts from 2009. It was there several hours ago.

This morning the Sr. VP Digital Television Technologies at Fox informed me that Fox had nothing to do with the 3D Broadcast except lend their name to it. He saw the broadcast in Vegas at CES and was quite disappointed with it as well, which again REALLY makes me wonder if the left/right pictures were reversed in Vegas as well, as that would had been my impression had we not finally figured out to flip the glasses.

From USA Today

BCS title game in 3-D: Jarring, but also 'jacked up'

By Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — You weren't reminded to turn off your cellphone in the Marquee Cinema theater showing Fox's 3-D coverage of Thursday's BCS title game.
After the crowd stood for the national anthem, it felt free to hoot — and sometimes groan when camera shots swiveled too fast and made you feel as if one of your eyes wasn't in sync with the other.

Based on 3-D testing, Fox avoided overhead shots that showed much of the field, in part because the 3-D effect is lost the farther the cameras are from the action. But game coverage that relied heavily on close-ups at times left you wondering what was happening on the field.

Fox announcer Kenny Albert, part of Fox's production crew devoted solely to its 3-D coverage — around the USA, prices ranged from $18-$20 — played up the novelty. He noted a snap "was high even in 3-D" and asked "does it hurt more in 3-D?"

For viewers, it sometimes did.

On-screen graphics were sometimes a bit jarring with the on-field action. Quick camera movements, which Fox had planned to avoid, were dizzying. But Fox, which planned to focus on tight shots for 3-D, made viewers feel they were on the sidelines or even on the field.

Said Reggie Thompson, a viewer from Lorton, Va., "forget about how they do it — it's jacked up. But it works better if you're glasses are upside-down."

Others in the audience echoed that opinion.

I've been directly involved with stereo video for over 15 years. All it really takes to get it right, is someone who knows what it's supposed to look like doing a system check before showtime. As noted, there are a lot of places along the way that can get screwed up, but any one of them reversed can typically fix the problem that was seen last night.

From Broadcasting & Cable

CES: Sony, Fox Complete 3D HD Football Drive

By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable

Las Vegas -- The 3D HD broadcast of the BCS college football championship game to VIP guests at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas Thursday night was a bit like the University of Florida’s performance in the game itself: a shaky start with a solid finish.

Staged at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show, the broadcast, which was sponsored by Sony and produced by Fox using 3D HD production equipment from 3ality Digital, was plagued during the first half by audio problems—static, fade-outs and loud popping noises. 3ality and Sony executives said the audio hiccups were caused by malfunctioning satellite downlink equipment and were limited to the Paris Hotel location.

The 82 theaters nationwide that showed the 3D game didn’t experience any audio problems, said 3ality president Sandy Climan. One of those was the Rave theater in Las Vegas; CBS affiliate KLAS aired a report in Thursday's newscast showing happy fans at the Rave praising the "being there" effect of 3D.

Resetting the satellite receiver equipment during halftime solved the audio buffering problem at the Paris theater for the most part, with only intermittent audio glitches during the second half.

The video wasn’t affected. The 3D HD pictures, which were displayed by a Sony 4K digital cinema projector using image processors and 3D glasses from RealD, were mostly crisp, with only occasional blurs during quick camera pans, though the 3D cameras had trouble keeping up with kickoffs and long passes.

At times, the 3D images were stunning, perhaps never more so than when confetti filled the air at Dolphin Stadium in Miami to celebrate Florida’s 24-14 victory over Oklahoma. The confetti appeared to be floating off the screen and into the air in the Paris theater. Fox’s 3D graphics also consistently leapt off the screen.

Despite the audio problems, the combination of a competitive game and 3D HD pictures elicited a strong reaction from the crowd, with a few audience members leaping to their feet to celebrate big plays. Alec Shapiro, senior VP of Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Production Systems, described the event, which drew executives from networks, sports leagues and cable operators, as an overall success.

“We had a couple glitches, but for the first time doing an event of this size and scope, it went pretty smoothly,” said Shapiro.

Shapiro’s boss, Sony Chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer, also popped in to the Paris theater late in the second quarter to catch some of the 3D football action. Stringer, who had touted the 3D BCS production in his CES keynote address Thursday morning while showing off 3D HD sports and movie content, said he was mostly pleased with what he saw and that perfecting the 3D HD medium was a matter of “technical adjustments.”

“You can see the potential there,” said Stringer, who noted that Sony’s 3D HD demos in its booth, which used Playstation 3 game consoles and prototype LCD sets, had drawn long lines of CES attendees.

“In combination, we’ve advanced the cause of 3D a long way this week,” said Stringer.

I've been directly involved with stereo video for over 15 years. All it really takes to get it right, is someone who knows what it's supposed to look like doing a system check before showtime. As noted, there are a lot of places along the way that can get screwed up, but any one of them reversed can typically fix the problem that was seen last night.

I noticed the problem when I got there shortly before broadcast and saw the titles on screen not focusing. My eyes aren't the best anymore but I know the closer objects should have been perfect for me. After a few strains, blinks and flip ups of the glasses I put them on upside down and then told the usher who had the projectionist correct the problem a bit into the game.

I was at the game in New Hartford, NY and I guess we were one of the theatres that had problems, but nobody figured out about flipping over the glasses. Everybody left before the end of the first quarter and they handed out refunds.

I was at the game in New Hartford, NY and I guess we were one of the theatres that had problems, but nobody figured out about flipping over the glasses. Everybody left before the end of the first quarter and they handed out refunds.

I do find it amazing that only one person (in Dallas) has posted that the theater had it right from the beginning. Of course, I wonder if being in Mr. Cuban's Hometown had anything to do with that.

Of course, I wonder if being in Mr. Cuban's Hometown had anything to do with that.Why? What's he got to do with FOX, BCS, or 3D?

Any word on a Blu-ray version of this being available for sale. It would be interesting to see how this looked with all the bugs caused by live broadcast worked out. I would be a buyer. Thanks for any info.

Mike

Any word on a Blu-ray version of this being available for sale.No, because most all HDTV's are not compatible with the technology.

Besides how effective 3D is in creating an immersive viewing experence, the main reason good 3D will continue to grow in popularity is that CE manufacturers like the idea of having the next big thing to sell.

Agreed. For all those wondering what the next thing is for HT nuts like us after HD... I think 3D may be. OTOH, I don't see it being adopted by the masses ever. I could see it with Laser Disclike adoption rates but with a bit more staying power. For those thinking that 2 or 4k resolutions are next....I'd guess that 3D will be what LD was to 4k's Blu-Ray. About 20 years down the road.

Why? What's he got to do with FOX, BCS, or 3D?

Major investor in the theater chain showing the event. You didn't see the rash of commercials (virtually between everything on HDNET for weeks)? He had purchased 9.4% of the Company as of filings on 12/29/2008.


http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/12/29/mark-cuban-discloses-stake-in-carmike-cinemas/

Mark Cuban discloses stake in Carmike Cinemas
Posted Dec 29th 2008 2:30PM by Zac Bissonnette

Mark Cuban disclosed in a 13-D filed this morning that he has a 9.4% stake in Carmike Cinemas (NASDAQ: CKEC).

Unlike Mr. Cuban's personal blog, the 13-D lacks much in the way of color: There is the standard disclosure that he acquired the stake for investment purposes and may buy more or sell some or all depending on his mood.

According to the company, "Carmike Cinemas, Inc. is a U.S. leader in digital cinema and 3-D cinema deployments and one of the nation's largest motion picture exhibitors. As of September 30, 2008, Carmike had 250 theatres with 2,276 screens in 36 states. Carmike's digital cinema footprint reaches 2,147 screens, of which 430 are also equipped with 3-D capability. Carmike's focus for its theatre locations is small to mid-sized communities with populations of fewer than 100,000."

The company has been reporting huge losses as it sinks under the weight of a crippling debt load and economic malaise. But Cuban's one of the smartest people in business, so maybe there's some upside to be had. The shares have lost about 90% of their value since the beginning of 2007.


http://dallas.ismyhome.com/news/mark-cuban-buys-stake-in-carmike-cinemas/

Mark Cuban Buys Stake In Carmike CinemasMonday
Dec 29, 2008
Author: Raine Devries

That daring dancing boy wonder, Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team and co-owner of the Landmark Theaters cinema chain, has acquired a 9.4 percent stake in Carmike Cinemas Inc., according to an SEC filing today.

In the Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Cuban reported buying 1.2 million Carmike shares on the open market for roughly $2.8 million of his own funds. According to the filing, Cuban has been acquiring the shares through his personal investment account since mid-October.

If you want to jump on this bandwagon, fire up your E*Trade account and the stock symbol is CKEC.

Carmike has 252 theaters in 36 states, most of which are equipped for digital projection.

In Monday’s SEC filing, Cuban said he acquired his stake in Columbus, Ga.-based Carmike for investment purposes. He reserved his right to discuss the company’s performance and strategic direction with Carmike’s stockholders, officers or directors.

Cuban co-owns movie theater chain Landmark Theatres with Todd Wagner, who was his co-founder of the pioneering online audio streamer Audionet. The service, later named Broadcast.com, was sold by Cuban and Wagner to Yahoo! in 1999.

The Wagner/Cuban Cos. also include distribution company Magnolia Pictures, production company 2929 Productions, and high definition cable networks HDNet and HDNet Movies.

Carmike shares fell 4 cents to $1.99 in morning trading. The stock has traded between $1.37 and $11.37 during the past 52 weeks.

Major investor in the theater chain showing the event. You didn't see the rash of commercials (virtually between everything on HDNET for weeks)? He had purchased 9.4% of the Company as of filings on 12/29/2008.
And you think because he has that stake, the theaters were somehow told, mandated, to get the 3D right?

Has anyone seen how many tickets were actually sold for this?

And you think because he has that stake, the theaters were somehow told, mandated, to get the 3D right?

Again, the only theater reported here to have it right from the beginning was in Dallas.

Yes, I think that theater has probably been gone over technically 10 more times than the other places as the 10% owner (Cuban) probably is in there often.

Again, the only theater reported here to have it right from the beginning was in Dallas.

Yes, I think that theater has probably been gone over technically 10 more times than the other places as the 10% owner (Cuban) probably is in there often.

Sounds like a stretch to me. Let me ask.

Sounds like a stretch to me. Let me ask.

Have you ever made the trip between the 9000 block of Sunset and the 6000 block of Sunset Blvd?

How many over the top billboards for movies do you see that there are no billboards any place else in America for the movie?

You think its because the Actors, Directors, Producers and Studio Heads just happen to travel in that area?

Of course things are done at a specific place for specific people all the time.

How many times do you think Les Moonves has walked into KCBS/KCAL vs their UHF station in Tampa?

I'm 99% sure Cuban had nothing to do with it. The theater I watched it in without issue is in located in Hurst, TX, which is basically in Fort Worth. The only other theater offering it in the Dallas-Ft Worth (DFW) metroplex is located in the heart of Ft Worth. Both are Rave Theater chains- not Carmike. There are literally dozens if not over a hundred theater complexes in the DFW metroplex so I highly doubt Cuban decided to scrutinize this specific one - especially considering the Dallas Mavericks played the same night.

I'm 99% sure Cuban had nothing to do with it. The theater I watched it in without issue is in located in Hurst, TX, which is basically in Fort Worth. The only other theater offering it in the Dallas-Ft Worth (DFW) metroplex is located in the heart of Ft Worth. Both are Rave Theater chains- not Carmike. There are literally dozens if not over a hundred theater complexes in the DFW metroplex so I highly doubt Cuban decided to scrutinize this particular one - especially considering the Dallas Mavericks played the same night.

Actually, Cuban was in Las Vegas anyway - but if it was not a Carmike, then it had nothing to do with Cuban, which has followed their philosphy of going into to smaller markets that are not overly saturated with Cinemas.

Have you ever made the trip between the 9000 block of Sunset and the 6000 block of Sunset Blvd?

How many over the top billboards for movies do you see that there are no billboards any place else in America for the movie?

You think its because the Actors, Directors, Producers and Studio Heads just happen to travel in that area?

Of course things are done at a specific place for specific people all the time.

How many times do you think Les Moonves has walked into KCBS/KCAL vs their UHF station in Tampa?Fine. What you are suggesting is still a stretch. A big one.

Fine. What you are suggesting is still a stretch. A big one.

You don't think the Clear Channel TV Station in San Antonio is given more because of its location? The Cox TV Station in Atlanta? And every other station located in the same city as the Corporate Office?

Did KABC or WABC get HD News first?

Anything special about the Car Dealerships in Detroit?

You think that a Movie Theater in Los Angeles might have better adjusted equipment and audio than say in Lubbock Texas even though the ticket prices might be the same?

I am aware of an entire system put in one of the Mann Theaters in California by a Movie Studio. Think they did that in Lubbock?

Its common in virtually every business that special emphasis is put on certain cities (and not revenue related) and it would not be a stretch to believe the same would be done in a location where you have a major investor.

You don't think the Clear Channel TV Station in San Antonio is given more because of its location? The Cox TV Station in Atlanta? And every other station located in the same city as the Corporate Office?

Did KABC or WABC get HD News first?

Anything special about the Car Dealerships in Detroit?

You think that a Movie Theater in Los Angeles might have better adjusted equipment and audio than say in Lubbock Texas even though the ticket prices might be the same?

I am aware of an entire system put in one of the Mann Theaters in California by a Movie Studio. Think they did that in Lubbock?

Its common in virtually every business that special emphasis is put on certain cities (and not revenue related) and it would not be a stretch to believe the same would be done in a location where you have a major investor.You've said the same thing twice now. Besides, it was already pointed out to you the theater wasn't owned by Carmike. End of story.

I saw the game in a Carmike theater in Ft. Collins, Colorado, a smallish town about 60 miles north of Denver. The only other theater in the state able to show it was another Carmike 60 miles south in Colorado Springs. It was pretty obvious that Carmike corporate, based in Columbus, Georgia, did nothing to prep it's locations for the game. The projectionist played with the pre-game feed, pressing every set-up button he could find. He showed us every aspect ratio the Christie would do, isolated every channel on the Dolby processor, finally zoomed the picture to fill the 24' screen, then stood in the viewing window throughout the game, RealD glassed on right side up, and watched the entire event "inside-out". He never made any polarity adjustments. Absolutely clueless, as was the audience. They only sold about 30 tickets to a 220 seat auditorium and about half the people had left by halftime grumbling about how the 3D didn't work.

I've sent letters to Sandy Climan, CEO of 3ality, and Jeff Butkovsky, CTO of Cinedigm, telling them they have 30 days to come up with an idiot proof PJ setup solution for the NBA game next month. I'll probably email Cuban, since I hear he often answers, and point out that his small stake in Carmike isn't likely to go anywhere if their management team can't even insure that their theater personnel have the training and help needed to show live 3D.

I'll probably email Cuban.....
Just tell him to move to Ft. Collins, and you're all set!

I I'll probably email Cuban, since I hear he often answers, and point out that his small stake in Carmike isn't likely to go anywhere if their management team can't even insure that their theater personnel have the training and help needed to show live 3D.
Yes, considering the number of live 3D events each year, problems with the 3D events is going to make or break his investment.

Yes, considering the number of live 3D events each year, problems with the 3D events is going to make or break his investment.

They did not even come close to surround sound in the complex i was in.

Many other issues besides just the 3D.

Just tell him to move to Ft. Collins, and you're all set!

Looks like Cuban won't have to move. See below....

Yes, considering the number of live 3D events each year, problems with the 3D events is going to make or break his investment.

Yeah, I'm sure he's loosing a lot of sleep over it.

While many, including myself, are quick to criticize theaters for cluelessly showing the game with the 3D polarity reversed and not trying to fix it, I received a great response from the manager of the Carmike theater in Ft. Collins, Colorado. It is an interesting perspective from one on the "front line":


I am the manager of the Carmike 10 in Fort Collins. I recently received your letter regarding the BCS 3D Game. I would like to express my sincerest apology for your poor experience at my theater. I understand that your excitement level for this presentation was quite high and that you went out of your way to visit our theater, only to be disappointed. I am extremely sorry that your very reasonable expectations were not met.


I would like to explain the circumstances behind this event, though I am certainly not offering any excuses. I gather from your letter that you have a technical interest in the 3D process (I myself follow several threads on AVS), so I thought you would appreciate more than a simple apology. You are correct in your overall assessment of the problem. The polarity was incorrectly switched and should be reversed to correct the problem. For our theater this was a new issue that we haven't yet encountered, as it was specific to this game (i.e. this has not been an issue for any of our previous 3D presentations.). The issue became evident during our testing and viewing of the BCS content. I sincerely wish we had been able to correct the problem during the screening, as you state that some other theaters were able to do. Unfortunately, the projectionists and managers at our theater, and many other theaters, are not authorized and in fact are password blocked from making changes at this level to our projection equipment. This is to prevent us from making unauthorized changes that would damage the equipment. We are required to have our service technician physically come to our theater and make these changes himself. I assure you that had I been able to change this myself, I would have done so. I was on the phone throughout the showing of the BCS Game with our service dispatch center, but unfortunately our service technician could not make it up to our theater in time (he is located in Denver) to fix the issue during the show because he had already been dispatched to a different location in the state. Again, this is not an excuse for our poor presentation, simply an explanation. There is no reason in my mind why we shouldn't have been able to fix this issue more promptly to provide you with the experience you expected. My frustration level with this issue has been great, and I have passed on this frustration to those I felt might be able to make a change to how this system works.


The polarity issue has now been resolved. I have also been assured from my technician that should this or any other problem arise prior to or during our next live 3D presentation (the NBA All-Star Game) that every effort will be made, and we will be successful in correcting the problem in a much more timely fashion.


This Carmike theater is certainly trying to present a good 3D experience. They also sent free passes to the NBA game, refreshments included. A very good recovery to a disappointing situation.

Kudos to the manager! This is what good service is, and should always be.

Good service is not perfection, which can't be achieved, but he explained how the bad situation occurred, took steps so that it won't happen again, and provided some compensation for your poor experience.

Cliff

The only problem is the explanation brings up more questions if we are to take it word for word.

#1) I suspected the feed was out of phase given the high number of reports. However, email communications with the CEO of RealD during the event was that it was being fed correctly.

#2) If the unit is password protected, how did all the Cinemas noted in this thread correct the problem do it?

#3) If the tech was already dispatched from Denver to another location, then clearly he had set up that location incorrectly as well.

#4) I was in a Carmike Complex that was showing it on 4 screens. 3 were wrong. 1 was right. If it only is to be touched by a certain tech person and is password protected, then clearly, either 1 or 3 theaters in the complex were set up incorrectly by this person (3 if the feed was correct, 1 if the feed was out of phase).

Bottom line, why was the feed fed out of phase (if it truly was) and why was it not corrected even if it meant pulling the plug for 30 seconds? There was 3D shots 30 minutes prior to kickoff and it could have been done then (of course, Sony had the sound screwed for the entire first half in Vegas and it was not fixed until the rebooted the IRD at half-time, of course practically everyone had left by then anyway, so perhaps that shows how bad decisions on killing the feed for a short time are).

Then again, if it was not out of phase, then why were so many theaters out of phase when these super-duper techs who are only allowed to touch the projectors had supposedly set them up correctly? It certain appears the so called super techs were pretty incompetent all across the USA if this many theaters were wired incorrectly.

The only problem is the explanation brings up more questions if we are to take it word for word.

#1) I suspected the feed was out of phase given the high number of reports. However, email communications with the CEO of RealD during the event was that it was being fed correctly.

#2) If the unit is password protected, how did all the Cinemas noted in this thread correct the problem do it?

#3) If the tech was already dispatched from Denver to another location, then clearly he had set up that location incorrectly as well.

#4) I was in a Carmike Complex that was showing it on 4 screens. 3 were wrong. 1 was right. If it only is to be touched by a certain tech person and is password protected, then clearly, either 1 or 3 theaters in the complex were set up incorrectly by this person (3 if the feed was correct, 1 if the feed was out of phase).

Bottom line, why was the feed fed out of phase (if it truly was) and why was it not corrected even if it meant pulling the plug for 30 seconds? There was 3D shots 30 minutes prior to kickoff and it could have been done then (of course, Sony had the sound screwed for the entire first half in Vegas and it was not fixed until the rebooted the IRD at half-time, of course practically everyone had left by then anyway, so perhaps that shows how bad decisions on killing the feed for a short time are).

Then again, if it was not out of phase, then why were so many theaters out of phase when these super-duper techs who are only allowed to touch the projectors had supposedly set them up correctly? It certain appears the so called super techs were pretty incompetent all across the USA if this many theaters were wired incorrectly.

1) Do you really think that the CEO of RealD would admit to any wrong-doing during the event?

2) Certainly a hardware switch and coax cable connections will not be password protected. Perhaps every installation is not "locked down" so completely.

3) Huh?

4) Yup. So? You are drawing conclusions from well-intentioned, but questionable data.

People very familiar with 3-D setups in theatres have commented in excruciating detail on other forums about what may have happened. (GXM) Listen to them! Obviously the system is not as secure or idiot-proof as it could be. (If the feed was screwed up on the origination side -- and they couldn't tell -- that's probably a good thing.) I've also seen "technicians" go into a theatre and "fix" one thing while breaking several other things.

I know from personal experience that having multiple teams working on different parts of the same system in 100 or so theatres can often result in chaos. Turning over operation of these systems to "candy sellers" (in some cases) does not help reliability or improve responsiveness to problems.

By the way, what was wrong with the sound in Vegas? Was it completely gone or screwed up some other way?

In God we trust. Everything else, we check. (and re-check)

1) Do you really think that the CEO of RealD would admit to any wrong-doing during the event?

2) Certainly a hardware switch and coax cable connections will not be password protected. Perhaps every installation is not "locked down" so completely.

3) Huh?

4) Yup. So? You are drawing conclusions from well-intentioned, but questionable data.

People very familiar with 3-D setups in theatres have commented in excruciating detail on other forums about what may have happened. (GXM) Listen to them! Obviously the system is not as secure or idiot-proof as it could be. (If the feed was screwed up on the origination side -- and they couldn't tell -- that's probably a good thing.) I've also seen "technicians" go into a theatre and "fix" one thing while breaking several other things.

I know from personal experience that having multiple teams working on different parts of the same system in 100 or so theatres can often result in chaos. Turning over operation of these systems to "candy sellers" (in some cases) does not help reliability or improve responsiveness to problems.

By the way, what was wrong with the sound in Vegas? Was it completely gone or screwed up some other way?

In God we trust. Everything else, we check. (and re-check)

re-read the thread